By DANIELLE HERNANDEZ
America has a huge issue right now. It is a problem that has been on the rise for the past 80 years but has become more serious at the start of this century. This problem has led to many business ideas such as fast fashion, increase in child labor, and the mass use of polyester. Consumerism isn’t only limited to clothing but our everyday lives, especially in this country. With the amount of stores and brands there are in this country, there’s no surprise that consumerism is so prevalent.
Fast fashion was introduced to the public in the 1980’s but it has drastically risen over the more recent years. It has been on the rise in more recent years when the 1990’s came around along with the introduction of stores such as Zara and H&M. Some companies, such as Shein and Fashion Nova, have been on the rise more than bigger companies such as Zara and H&M. Since online shopping is available more than it used to be, more online brands are benefiting from that factor.
In order to make these goods and serve thousands of customers, these fast fashion brands exploit vulnerable people for their labor, especially children. Since America and most western countries are high in population, there’s a huge demand for goods. This means that third-world countries or countries high in labor will use more labor to make cheap items.
Speaking of cheap items, polyester is one of them. When it comes to clothing, polyester is used in many clothes in varying amounts. Cheaper clothes tend to be higher in polyester use while more expensive ones are made of expensive material like cotton or silk. The use of cheap materials aren’t only limited to polyester but also spandex, nylon, or acrylic. These materials are also harmful for the environment and people’s health since they are made of microplastics which can be absorbed through human skin.
Consumerism is an issue but it can also benefit some. Such as getting household goods that someone needs but mass consumerism is a problem. That’s why many people save their money or even go to therapy for overspending. It is important to do research about a company while examining the products and what they’re made of.
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